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Historic Landmarks Commission to Present Tour of the Summit Point Battlefield

Little known battle to be examined on its 152nd Anniversary

August 16, 2016

Charles Town, WV- On Sunday, August 21, 2016 the Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission will present a special “152 Years Ago Today” car caravan tour of the Summit Point Battlefield. The 1 ½ hour tour will feature seven stops, highlighting the evolution of the battle from start to finish. The event is scheduled to start at The Railside Market parking lot in Summit Point, WV at 10am.

The Battle of Summit Point took place on August 21, 1864 between Confederate forces commanded General Jubal Early and Federal forces commanded by General Philip Sheridan. The battle took place in and around Summit Point, WV and Charles Town, WV as part of a large ranging engagement that resulted in over 1,000 casualties. “The Battle of Summit Point is very important to understanding the broader scope of the 1864 Shenandoah Campaign” said Rob Aitcheson, preservation specialist with the Historic Landmarks Commission. “Both armies were gearing up for a decisive fight, and it very nearly altered how that campaign would ultimately take shape in late August and September 1864.”

Summit Point is one of four battlefields in Jefferson County designated by the American Battlefield Protection Program as a significant historic resource. Many sites associated with the battle remain intact but are vulnerable to further development. “Preservation is the primary focus of the Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission and to do that, we have to understand the importance of the sites and landscapes by also understanding the events that took place around them” Aitcheson continued. “We hope that by guiding people through a large part of the Summit Point battlefield that a broader appreciation for historic preservation will continue to be supported while at the same time generating interest in this very important event in our County’s history” Aitcheson added.

The Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission (JCHLC) is a branch of the Jefferson County Government and operates under authority granted to landmarks commissions by the West Virginia Legislature. The Landmarks Commission focuses on heritage education and tourism, historic preservation, and historic resource development. JCHLC’s primary mission is to preserve historic sites and structures within the unincorporated areas of Jefferson County and to educate people about the County’s heritage.